Show Full Spec Comparison
Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged | Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS | |
---|---|---|
General | ||
Brand: | Gibson Custom | Jackson |
Year: | 2024 | 2018 |
Configuration: | HH | HH |
Strings: | 6 | 7 |
Made in: | United States | Indonesia |
Series: | Murphy Lab | X |
Colors: | Natural | Blue Burst |
Left-Handed Version: | No | No |
Body | ||
Type: | Solid Body | Solid Body |
Body Material: | One-piece Quilt Sapele | Poplar |
Bridge: | Lightweight Aluminum Stop Bar | Staggered Individual Saddles |
Neck | ||
Neck Joint: | Set | Neck-Through |
Tuners: | Kluson Single Line, Double Ring | Jackson Sealed Die-Cast |
Fretboard: | 1 Piece Dark Indian Rosewood | Laurel |
Neck Material: | Mahogany | Maple |
Decoration: | Cellulose Nitrate Trapezoid | Offset Pearloid Dot |
Scale Size: | 24.75" | 27" to 25.5" |
Shape: | 60s SlimTaper | Jackson Standard |
Thickness: | 1st Fret: 0.82'' (20.8mm) - 12th Fret: 0.93'' (23.6mm) | 1st Fret: 0.79'' (20.1mm) - 12th Fret: 0.85'' (21.6mm) |
Frets: | 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver | 24 Jumbo Nickel Silver |
Fretboard Radius: | 12" | 12" to 16" |
Nut: | Nylon | Plastic |
Nut Width: | 42.9mm (1.688'') | 44.5mm (1.75'') |
Electronics | ||
Bridge Pickups: | Custombucker Alnico 3 (Unpotted) (Humbucker / Passive) | Jackson Uncovered 7-String Blade Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive) |
Middle Pickup: | ||
Neck Pickup: | Custombucker Alnico 3 (Unpotted) (Humbucker / Passive) | Jackson Uncovered 7-String Blade Humbucking (Humbucker / Passive) |
Switch: | 3 Way | 3 Way |
Knobs: | Bell | Dome |
Pickup Mods: | None | None |
Volume Controls: | 2 | 1 |
Tone Controls: | 2 | 1 |
Hardware | ||
Strap Lock: | No | No |
Hardware Color: | Nickel | Black |
Show Diagrams Comparison
Reasons to Get
Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged over Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS
Reasons to Get
Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS over Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged
Other Key Differences
Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged vs Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS
Shared Features
Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged vs Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS
Common Weaknesses
- Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
- Weight Relief
- Locking Tuners
- Stays in Tune (Evertune)
- High-Quality Frets
- Luminescent Sidedots
- Strap Lock
- 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- Active/Passive Preamp
Price History Comparison
Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged Prices
These are affiliate links. We may earn a fee if you purchase after clicking. These prices are prone to error. Make sure you're buying the right product after clicking on a link from our site. We are not liable if you buy the wrong product after following these links. As an Amazon Associate site we earn from qualifying purchases.
Hand Size Comfortability
And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged favors large hands more than the Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS. But it's still more comfortable for people with small hands, as you can see in the score meter below.
Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged:
Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS:
Beginner Friendliness
The Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS meets 6 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged meets only 4. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players.
New Player Friendliness
Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged- Comfortable shape
- Easy-to-use bridge
- Tall frets
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable fretboard
- Narrow nut
- Short scale
- Locking tuners
New Player Friendliness
Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS- Comfortable shape
- Easy-to-use bridge
- Comfortable fretboard
- Tall frets
- Narrow nut
- Comfortable neck
- Short scale
- Locking tuners
Sound Quality Comparison
The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.
Woods Used in the Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged
Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.
Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.
It's similar to Mahogany in both color and tone. It can produce warm tones, and it's known for its beautiful figured grain patterns. Find out more about Sapele.
Woods Used in the Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS
Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.
There are many types of Laurel, but East Indian is the most common for guitar building. Its color can vary from dark to light brown with black lines. Many people find its tonality similar to Rosewood, which favors the warmer frequencies. Find out more about Laurel.
Poplar is a cheaper and heavier alternative to Alder wood. It terms of tone, it emphasizes the low-end and has cutting mids. It's relatively soft compared to most body woods. Find out more about Poplar.
Winner: Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged.
Pickup Configuration
Both pickup configurations are HH. Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.
Pickups Quality
The Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged has pickups from a more specialized brand than the Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS. Its pickups should simply give you a better, fuller sound, although it all depends on what type of music you're going to play. We recommend these pickups for Hard Rock and similar genres.
Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.
Winner: Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged.
Versatility Comparison
Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.
Switch Options
Both are equal when it comes to the pickup switching option.
Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.
When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.
Winner: Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS.
Final Sound Quality Scores
Build Quality Comparison
When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged compares to the Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS.
Country of Origin
The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged is built in United States while the Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS is made in Indonesia.
The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.
Indonesia is becoming the most popular country for guitar building because they can make good instruments for a low price. Some people think that they're 'the new China' when it comes to build quality. But the truth is that Indonesian guitars are more consistent, although Chinese quality has improved a lot in the last few years.
Winner: Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged
Nut Material
If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.
The Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged has a Nylon nut. It used to be one of the highest quality materials for nuts (and still is), but it's rare to find nowadays because it's hard to work with. It's a very resistant material with very low friction, so it will keep the guitar in tune and will last for a long time
On the other hand, the Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS comes with a Plastic nut. This is a low-quality nut that you might want to consider upgrading soon. Bone and TUSQ nuts are the best for guitars with a fixed or simple tremolo bridge.
Winner: Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged.
Fret Material
Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.
Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.
Winner: Tie.
Bridge
The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.
Both come with a similar bridge: Fixed. It's a simple bridge that is very beginner-friendly since it doesn't require any set-up. You can swap strings easily. It might also give more sustain since it doesn't have complex moving parts that make the strings lose vibration. However, it doesn't have the same versatility as a tremolo bridge.
Since we need to be objective, the most expensive type of bridge will be the winner of this section. In the end, this doesn't matter if you're not going to use the bridge for its original purpose, so choose the bridge that fits your playing style better.
Winner: Tie.
Tuners
Both come with regular tuners. The Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged's are Kluson Single Line, Double Ring while the Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS's are Jackson Sealed Die-Cast
Winner: Tie.
Neck Joint
Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a guitar is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.
The Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged has a Set neck joint. This neck is tightly glued to the body. They give you the least versatility because you can't swap them for a neck that fits your hand better if you want to, unlike bolt-on necks. Some people think this gives more resonance and sustain, but there's no real difference if the bolt-on joint is well built.
On the other hand, the Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS comes with Neck-Through neck joint. This neck is a lot more resistant and lets builders give the neck joint a more comfortable shape for soloing at the upper frets. The disadvantage is that they're more expensive and that if you damage your neck, you can't simply replace it like with bolt-on necks.
Winner: Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS.
Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:
Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged
- Made in United States
- Expensive Wood
- Nylon Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Tremolo
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS
- Neck-Through Build
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in Indonesia
- No Expensive Woods
- No High-Quality Nut
- No Top Brand Pickups
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Tremolo
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
Final Build Quality Scores
Playability Comparison
Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.
Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.
Nut Width
The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS has the wider nut with 44.5mm (1.75'') vs 42.9mm (1.688''). This is a 1.6mm (0.062'') difference
This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.
Scale Length
The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.
In this case, the Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS features a multi-scale of 27" to 25.5" while the Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged has a regular scale of 24.75".
A multi-scale fingerboard incorporates two scale lengths at the same time. This is present in some instruments with long scale to give a different tension to the lower strings than the higher strings. The thickest strings need more tension to avoid fret buzz (especially when tuned low), so the scale is longer for these strings, while the thinnest strings will need less tension (because they have a lower gauge), so they have a shorter scale to reduce stiffness for bends.
It can feel awkward if you've never played a multi-scale because the frets will have more separation for the higher strings, but a lot of people love their versatility.
On the other hand, the Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged's 24.75" regular scale means it has a fixed scale for all the strings.This is the scale length that Gibson uses for most of its Les Paul guitars. It's a smaller scale than the typical Stratocaster's 25.5''. Short scale lengths like this make it easier to bend the strings, which is pretty important if you have a fixed bridge. They also have a shorter fret separation, which makes it easier to change position fast at the fretboard.
On the other hand, a shorter scale like this one will make fret buzz more likely, which can affect you if you want to use thicker string gauges.
Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.
Neck Profile
No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.
Both the Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged and the Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS have a D-shaped neck. This is a thin and flat neck that is made for playing fast. If you prefer a neck that doesn't get in your way when soloing, this is the shape you should use. Guitarists that prefer to have a bit more grip won't like this type of neck.
Fretboard Radius
Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.
In this case, the Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS is the only one with a compound radius. This is a huge win because it will give you the best of both worlds: a more curved radius in the first few frets for chords, and flatter as you come closer to the body for soloing.
Fret Size
The Jackson X Series Soloist Arch Top SLATX7Q MS has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Gibson Custom 1961 Les Paul SG Standard Quilt Sapele Murphy Lab Ultra Light Aged's Medium Jumbo frets.
Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.